Fire Traps Routinely Declared Safe

The Fire Protection Association Australia has warned that up to 40% of buildings in NSW do not meet basic fire safety standards. Over the course of the last year, 500 buildings within Sydney alone have been found in breach of regulations.

The warning comes in the wake of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home fatal fire in 2011 which killed 11 residents, and a 2012 Bankstown apartment block fire in 2012 that killed 21 year old Connie Zhang.

New proposals to upgrade safety legislation would require those who design and certify safety protection systems have appropriate qualifications. Currently, most designers of fire protection systems have no formal qualifications in the field, and installers are permitted to self-certify their own work.

NFIA NSW President Gordon Stalley reports that the most common failings include; poor smoke exhaust systems, inadequate on site water storage systems, and inadequate water pressure in sprinklers systems.